By Apostle Alex Adusei Agyemang 1 John 1:9KJV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” The Bible says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy….Proverbs 28:13KJV” It is God who sent Jesus to die on the cross hence this is proof positive that He God is the one who wants to forgive. The gospel of Jesus even goes beyond forgiveness; it is a gospel of remission. He will wash you clean and pure. God delight in mercy and not sacrifice. He delights in forgiveness. The problem is that a wrong presentation of the grace gospel in certain circles of the church has deluded some Christians into having a misconception about sin . Now that you are a Christian, there are certain statements you can’t make about yourself. They don’t apply to the Christian but to the unbeliever or sinner. One of such statements is “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God……Romans 3:23ESV” You can’t hide behind this statement and be walking in sin. Paul made this statement about the Jews and gentiles who were yet to be born again so the Christian can’t hide behind this statement and be living in sin. You are not the one who has fallen short of God’s glory. You have been regenerated and have become God’s glory. Paul said, “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:…………Colossians 1:27KJV” The Holy Spirit will not live inside the Christian if he was short of God’s glory. Having said this, God understands that the Christian journey is a growth process and hence the Christian in trying to find his feet will make mistakes along the way and that grace is always available to forgive but that forgiveness is for those who confess their sins. The Word “confess” doesn’t refer to one who just proclaims his error. No, it is a word connected to the heart of man. It means this Christian deep down his heart has accepted that the sin he committed is wrong and he is not supposed to do that, such a person will be sorrowful in his heart and will not be proud about that sin. Neither will he see sin to be a natural part of his life like some do. This is the one that the grace of forgiveness is for. It means that like John the Baptist said, this Christian will bring forth fruits worthy of repentance and forgiveness. “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:………Matthew 3:8KJV” There are behaviors meet for repentance and those not worthy of forgiveness When one is proud and will not humble himself to accept his faults and change, such fruits are not worthy of forgiveness because He gives His grace only to the humble. You can’t say, God forgive me for that fornication and continue living in it Wisdom says, “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good……..Romans 12:9KJV” The Christian ought to hate sin and love righteousness. And any Christian who truly loves righteousness will be sorrowful when he sins. Paul calls it godly sorrow. There is a sorrow which is godly, it when the Christian become sorrowful for his sins “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death…….2 Corinthians 7:10NIV” Some Christians may end up in hell, not because they couldn’t be forgiven but because they loved and took pleasure in sins and hence were overcome by sin. His grace is always available to forgive, His grace is always available to the sincere and humble Christians.
